The Medium Reviews
After reviewing Bloober Team's newest horror title, The Medium earlier this year, we take another look at the upcoming PS5 version.
The Medium on PS5 is as good as it was on Xbox Series X, however, with DualSense support it becomes a much more immersive game.
Bloober Team is no stranger to making games that feature concepts with immense potential, like Blair Witch or Observer. The Medium is probably my favorite of theirs to date. It's got a couple of warts, but it's easy to get lost in its world (both of them), even with its pitch-black narrative overtones. It makes it feel important, though perhaps not something you'll feel compelled to play on repeat.
The game’s arrival on the PlayStation 5 has been a long time coming. But thankfully, it was well worth the wait. With its unique dual-world gameplay mechanics and gripping narrative, The Medium is yet another macabre masterpiece from the talent at Bloober Team. If you have even a passing interest in horror games or are looking for a powerful supernatural story to experience that isn’t afraid to touch on uncomfortable subjects, this is one game that demands a spot in your PS5 library.
The Medium presents us with a paranormal adventure in which its premise is to advance to discover its history, its greatest challenge being solving simple puzzles and trying not to die on very rare occasions. Do not expect lots of action as in a survival to use because you will not find it. The game is a very accessible title for every player
Review in Spanish | Read full review
The Medium shines when it's letting you soak in its beautifully crafted dual worlds and melancholic soundtrack, but early promise of a quietly effective ghost story unravels as the story staggers clumsily to a point where it becomes almost unbearable in its attempt to tackle a tough subject.
While there are some slight technical issues, The Medium is undeniably a fantastic horror game. For fans of the genre, this game gets an easy recommendation.
The story is very compelling and it draws you in. As you progress there is more and more horror revealed about what exactly went on at the Niwa hotel. Marianne is an interesting protagonist and you want to figure out what is going on with her. The puzzles had just the right amount of complexity, using a uniquely dark world/ light world thinking style to solve many of them. It was different and refreshing. I enjoyed every minute of The Medium.
While the small emotional ties to Sadness and Marianne only grow more complex towards the end, and the small performance hiccups and graphical bugs occur from time to time, The Medium is a strong title that – to some – will ultimately be held back due to awkward camera angles and the split duality emphasized by the use of split-screen gameplay to represent both the spirit world and that of the physical world.
The Medium is a very dark story dripping with moody atmosphere and ambience. It has an old-school horror feel like the earlier Resident Evil games, but without jump scares. The thick ambience makes the environments very interesting to explore, as you uncover the twisted truth. I very much enjoyed my time investigating the cursed Niwa Resort, and uncovering the truth of the “Niwa Massacre.” However, it should be noted that the story includes some very dark subject matter, including child abuse. Players will get a glimpse into the minds of a number of characters along the way. It is a thought provoking story with an intentionally ambiguous ending. The weak point for The Medium may be replayability, but it does have a bunch of achievements and collectibles to get. The story is good enough that it will still easily be worth replaying again later on. I finished the game in 11 hours according to Steam, with the vast majority of the achievements. The Medium is available on Steam for $49.99, as well as on Xbox Series X|S. Are you ready to brave the darkness, free trapped spirits, and uncover the twisted truth of the abandoned Niwa Resort?
Hopefully there will be more to be seen in the universe built for the game, but under much better circumstances. What Bloober Team has achieved left me with mixed feelings by the time I reached its conclusion, almost 8 hours in. I adored the setting and fiction that’s been created for The Medium but I struggle to think of a single section of it that I truly enjoyed playing. It’s surely a weird place to be when it comes to a game I’m writing a review for, and one I’m not used to having to deal with. While I’m glad I got to see what it’s all about, I’m in no hurry to replaying it anytime soon; but then again, I want to see what could be in store in the story if there’s ever a (mercifully much better conceived) sequel.
There are a few writing and gameplay demons to exorcise, but that only keeps Bloober Team's latest from séance-sational horror game status.
The Medium is the best work of the Polish guys from Bloober Team. It is a valid horror game, both on a narrative and on a graphic level. Moreover, it is enriched by the novelty - gameplay-wise - brought by Dual Reality, which lets the game rejuvenate the genre via new types of puzzles.
Review in Italian | Read full review
The Medium isn't an unflawed masterpiece. It's got some performance issues on PC and some jankeyness in unexpected places. However it has got this absolutely unique horror atmosphere, beautifully crafted worlds and some absolute heart-string pulling story moments. This is a successful return of the "horror adventure" game style from those golden oldies everyone fondly remembers. Bloober Team has done an outstanding job making this title and it's one hundred percent recommended to all fans of horror.
The Medium is large in ambition and pulls it off with ease.
The Medium is a Silent Hill tribute, trying to keep the survival horror genre alive in the absolutely old-fashioned way; during the approximately 6-7 hours it lasts, you will see an interesting script, superficial character presentation, some beautiful set pieces and ambitious mechanisms that, however, scrape and do not go deeper; it is not a bad game and of course I suggest it to fans of the genre.
Review in Greek | Read full review
As the game tackles dark subject matter and an intriguing mystery, The Medium offers a solid plot to absorb. It also gives the player an ending that they can interpret in a number of ways, though it might lack satisfaction. It’s not the scariest horror game out there, even by Bloober Team’s standards, but it’s frightening enough to get a few scares, and that’s nothing to be ashamed of. If you have Xbox Game Pass, you should experience this game.
The Medium was a game I really wanted to like. With its gorgeous graphics, old school tank control gameplay, and musical pieces composed by Akira Yamaoka himself it had everything that promised a memorable experience. But at the end, the journey was unfulfilling and forgettable.
The Medium seemed like one of the more promising games coming to Xbox Series X. Visually, it makes pretty good use of the hardware, and the environments are stunning at times. Unfortunately, poor controls and seriously flawed gameplay design choices hold this back from being the instant classic that it could have been.
The Medium is a game with more highs than lows. Bloober Team has taken a definite step in the right direction with this latest venture and I look forward to seeing them build on these foundations.